diff --git a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.dstore/miners/org/eclipse/rse/dstore/universal/miners/UniversalFileSystemMiner.java b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.dstore/miners/org/eclipse/rse/dstore/universal/miners/UniversalFileSystemMiner.java
index a0b78aca24c..1326a0332b3 100644
--- a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.dstore/miners/org/eclipse/rse/dstore/universal/miners/UniversalFileSystemMiner.java
+++ b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.dstore/miners/org/eclipse/rse/dstore/universal/miners/UniversalFileSystemMiner.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
  * Kevin Doyle (IBM) - [196211] DStore Move tries rename if that fails copy/delete
  * Xuan Chen (IBM)        - [198046] [dstore] Cannot copy a folder into an archive file
  * Xuan Chen (IBM)        - [191367] with supertransfer on, Drag & Drop Folder from DStore to DStore doesn't work
+ * Martin Oberhuber (Wind River) - [199548] Avoid touching files on setReadOnly() if unnecessary
  *******************************************************************************/
 
 package org.eclipse.rse.dstore.universal.miners;
@@ -1230,17 +1231,13 @@ public class UniversalFileSystemMiner extends Miner {
 		else {
 			try {
 				String str = subject.getAttribute(DE.A_SOURCE);
-				boolean readOnly = false;
-				if (str.equals("true")) //$NON-NLS-1$
-				{
-					readOnly = true;
-				}
-				else
-				{
-					readOnly = false;
-				}
+				boolean readOnly = "true".equals(str); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				boolean done = false;
-				if (readOnly)
+				if (readOnly != filename.canWrite())
+				{
+					done = true;
+				}
+				else if (readOnly)
 				{
 					done = filename.setReadOnly();
 				}
diff --git a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.local/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/services/local/files/LocalFileService.java b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.local/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/services/local/files/LocalFileService.java
index 31a52821f9d..0952c977c24 100644
--- a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.local/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/services/local/files/LocalFileService.java
+++ b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.local/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/services/local/files/LocalFileService.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
  * David McKnight (IBM) - [192705] Exception needs to be thrown when rename fails
  * Kevin Doyle (IBM) - [196211] Move a folder to a directory that contains a folder by that name errors
  * Martin Oberhuber (Wind River) - [199394] Allow real files/folders containing String #virtual#
+ * Martin Oberhuber (Wind River) - [199548] Avoid touching files on setReadOnly() if unnecessary
  ********************************************************************************/
 
 package org.eclipse.rse.internal.services.local.files;
@@ -1358,6 +1359,12 @@ public class LocalFileService extends AbstractFileService implements IFileServic
 			boolean readOnly, IProgressMonitor monitor) throws SystemMessageException 
 	{
 		File file = new File(parent, name);
+		if (!file.exists()) {
+			return false;
+		}
+		if (readOnly != file.canWrite()) {
+			return true;
+		}
 		if (readOnly)
 		{
 			return file.setReadOnly();
diff --git a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.ssh/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/services/ssh/files/SftpFileService.java b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.ssh/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/services/ssh/files/SftpFileService.java
index 690ca7b7c20..d79b3ab8f46 100644
--- a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.ssh/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/services/ssh/files/SftpFileService.java
+++ b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services.ssh/src/org/eclipse/rse/internal/services/ssh/files/SftpFileService.java
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
  * Kushal Munir (IBM) - for API bug   
  * Martin Oberhuber (Wind River) - [186128] Move IProgressMonitor last in all API
  * Martin Oberhuber (Wind River) - [192724] Fixed logic to filter folders if FILE_TYPE_FOLDERS
+ * Martin Oberhuber (Wind River) - [199548] Avoid touching files on setReadOnly() if unnecessary
  *******************************************************************************/
 
 package org.eclipse.rse.internal.services.ssh.files;
@@ -866,9 +867,9 @@ public class SftpFileService extends AbstractFileService implements IFileService
 				int permOld = attr.getPermissions();
 				int permNew = permOld;
 				if (readOnly) {
-					permNew &= ~128;
+					permNew &= ~(128 | 16 | 2); //ugo-w
 				} else {
-					permNew |= 128;
+					permNew |= 128; //u+w
 				}
 				if (permNew != permOld) {
 					//getChannel("SftpFileService.setReadOnly").chmod(permNew, path); //$NON-NLS-1$
@@ -877,6 +878,7 @@ public class SftpFileService extends AbstractFileService implements IFileService
 					ok=true;
 					Activator.trace("SftpFileService.setReadOnly ok"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				} else {
+					ok=true;
 					Activator.trace("SftpFileService.setReadOnly nothing-to-do"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				}
 			} catch (Exception e) {
diff --git a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services/src/org/eclipse/rse/services/files/IFileService.java b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services/src/org/eclipse/rse/services/files/IFileService.java
index 86ffb00d11e..37659ba915e 100644
--- a/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services/src/org/eclipse/rse/services/files/IFileService.java
+++ b/rse/plugins/org.eclipse.rse.services/src/org/eclipse/rse/services/files/IFileService.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
  * Contributors:
  * Martin Oberhuber (Wind River) - [186128] Move IProgressMonitor last in all API
  * Martin Oberhuber (Wind River) - [183824] Forward SystemMessageException from IRemoteFileSubsystem
+ * Martin Oberhuber (Wind River) - [199548] Avoid touching files on setReadOnly() if unnecessary
  ********************************************************************************/
 
 package org.eclipse.rse.services.files;
@@ -288,7 +289,7 @@ public interface IFileService extends IService
 	 * @param name the name of the file to set
 	 * @param readOnly indicates whether to make the file readonly or read-write
 	 * @param monitor the progress monitor
-	 * @return true if the readonly permission was changed successfully
+	 * @return true if the readonly permission was changed successfully, or the permission already was as desired
 	 */
 	public boolean setReadOnly(String parent, String name, boolean readOnly, IProgressMonitor monitor) throws SystemMessageException;